There is no shortage of revelatory cultural, gastronomic, and outdoor experiences to be had throughout France—and many of them are within close proximity to some of the country’s leading destinations. From Roman-era villages to mountain-like sand dunes, here are ten of our favorite day trips.
By Lindsey Tramuta, Condé Nast Traveler
From Bordeaux: Arcachon Bay
Since last year’s opening of the the wine theme park Cite du Vin in Bordeaux, there has been newfound interest in the wine capital. But travelers would be doing themselves a disservice by not carving out a day in their itineraries to visit the seaside town of Arcachon. Known for its oyster harvest and golden beaches, it’s been an escape for the Bordelais since the early 19th century. One of the most well-known and family-friendly attractions is the Dune of Pilat, Europe’s tallest sand dune, stretching 1.5 miles along the bay. Hike to its peak and take in exceptional views of the Arcachon Bay, the surrounding pine forest, and even the Pyrenees in the distance on a clear day. It's just a 40-minute train ride (or one hour and a half drive) away and you can rent bikes from the town of Arcachon and ride along the ocean-facing trail to reach the dune.
From Saumur: Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud
Wine tastings and vineyard visits are popular activities in and around Saumur in the Loire Valley, but just 11 miles away is a cultural experience not to be missed. The Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud is one of the last surviving monastic cities from the Middle Ages and a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2000. In 2014, the Fontevraud L'Hôtel opened in the abbey’s Saint-Lazare priory with 54 sophisticated minimalist rooms. Even if a historic sleep isn’t in the cards, there’s enough to see during the day, from the Gothic abbey itself to art exhibits and on-site dining at Le Restaurant, run by Bocuse d’Or-winning chef Thibaut Ruggeri.
From Avignon: Arles
Just under 20 minutes away by local train, Arles feels like a Roman-era village fixed in time, with all the charm and Provençal mystery that one might expect from a UNESCO World Heritage site. Located north of the Rhone River, the town is known for having inspired Van Gogh, who created some 300 works while he lived there for over a year. Though the Rencontres d’Arles photography festival is an international draw every June through September, there’s a host of other discoveries to be made, from the Roman amphitheater and the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh to the Frank Gehry-designed experimental art campus for the LUMA Foundation, slated to open to the public in 2020.
From Dijon: Beaune
While Dijon is the ancient capital of Burgundy, the region’s wine-making and cultural epicenter lies less than a 20-minute train ride away in Beaune. For €7.50 ($8.86) you can visit the Hospices de Beaune, a medieval hospital with polychrome roofs and magnificent Gothic architecture visible from the moment you arrive in town. Aside from being an art gallery and museum, it is also known for its wine production—bottles are sold at auction each November for the Hospices de Beaune Wine Festival. Don’t miss the town’s Saturday market, one of the best in France; a wine tasting at Domaine Joseph Drouhin, located in the center of town; and learn to make regional specialities with a cooking class at The Cook’s Atelier.
From Marseille: Chateau La Coste
After days spent hiking the Calanques, loafing on the beach or getting a fix of Mediterranean culture at Marseille’s MuCem, hop in the car for a smooth, hour-long ride to Chateau la Coste in the small town of Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade. Home to a 600-acre open-air contemporary art park dreamed up by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, an organic winery, and the new Villa la Coste hotel, it even warrants an overnight stay. To see works by Frank Gehry, Sean Scully, Tom Shannon, Andy Goldsworthy, or Louise Bourgeois, reserve the two-hour art walk, followed by a meal at one of the site’s four restaurants, including Louison by Gerard Passedat (of the three Michelin-star restaurant Le Petit Nice in Marseille) or Francis Mallmann’s namesake restaurant, his first in Europe.
From Strasbourg: Colmar
Called both the French city with a German accent and the Christmas Capital, Strasbourg is bursting with dual cultural and architectural influences, beautiful canals, cobblestone streets, and rainbow-hued half-timbered houses. There’s all of that and more in Colmar, an Alsatian town 30 minutes south by TGV. It became a destination for modern art lovers at the end of 2015 thanks to the re-opening of the Musée Unterlinden, redesigned by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron (which worked on the Tate Modern in London). An extension has been created just over the Sinn Canal to include works by Picasso, Dubuffet, and others in an above-ground gallery space that evokes the original building’s 13th-century architecture.
From Paris: Fontainebleau
Travelers have a legion of options when they want to see beyond the périphérique of the capital, and the combination of royal history, artistic heritage, and nearly 60,000 acres of vast woodlands makes Fontainebleau a calmer but no less beautiful destination. Located an hour south of Paris by regional train, you can tour the Chateau de Fontainebleau, the preferred country residence of French monarchs spanning eight centuries, picnic after a hike through the Forest of Fontainebleau, or spend the day bouldering among an international pool of rock climbers who flock to the forest throughout the year. The Chateau is located a short walk away from the Fontainebleau Avon train station, and trains depart from Paris’s Gare de Lyon every hour.
From Honfleur: Le Havre
With the Norman waterfront towns as your home base, it’s an easy 15-minute ride on the Number 20 bus to Le Havre, which turned 500 years old this year. After the country’s busiest port town suffered near devastation during World War II, it was reconstructed in reinforced concrete by Belgian architect Auguste Perret in the 1950s. (Even the Saint-Joseph Church, a listed monument, was rebuilt with robust concrete and steel.) While the architecture is a far cry from Honfleur’s colorful harbor, there are plenty of spots to explore: the inside of Saint-Joseph with its soaring ceilings and golden stained-glass light; Les Bains des Docks designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, a swimming complex covered in millions of mosaic tiles; the Andre Malraux Museum of Modern Art (MuMa), home to the second-largest collection of Impressionist works after the Musee d’Orsay; and the city’s suspended gardens set on the site of an old fortress.
From Quimper: Pointe du Raz
Once you’ve had your fix of half-timbered buildings and crepes in Brittany’s oldest city, take the hour-long drive to Pointe du Raz and the Cap Sizun cliffs. This region’s wild beauty inspired works by Victor Hugo and Gustave Flaubert. Opt for a guided hike or cycle tour to reach the point and take in the moody scene of crashing waves against the soaring cliffs, and look out for the Île de Sein and its famed Ar Men lighthouse, a historic monument that took over thirty years to build. Use the GR34 path, which runs along the coast, to reach the Pointe du Van.
From Lyon: Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez
Leave the gastronomic capital behind in favor of a day strolling through the country village of Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez, located less than an hour's drive away. Ranked one of the most beautiful villages in France, the village first began as a Carthusian monastery, housing monks for over 500 years until the French Revolution in 1794. (Visit the old monastery on a guided tour that spans everything from its centuries-old churches and cloister to the former kitchen.) Art exhibits, concerts, and other special events in the village are scheduled throughout the year.
